2012 Topps Chrome Questions

[kream88]

Picked up a couple of blasters from walmart of topps chrome, never opened any until now. With the regular refractors is there any difference in the card from the base besides refractor written on the back. I can't tell if there is. I know with the x-fractors you can tell there's a design on it. Like I said never opened any topps chrome so just looking for a answer to help me better understand all these refractors.

Thanks,
Kurt

[Hollywood42]

Yeah, the difference between refractors and the base cards is that the refractors will "refract" light- Shine a light on the card and tilt it around a bit, notice all the different colors that show up? That's the difference, base cards don't do that. It's been easier and easier to tell a refractor from a base card without looking as a back as time goes on. The earlier Chrome sets were harder to tell, in my opinion

[wrigleyfield]

In my opinion, the last few years of Chrome Refractors in both football and baseball, have been lackluster. Up to 2010 they used to be easy to see it was a refractor and looked awesome, but the last couple years they just kind of suck and it's a little harder to tell until the light hits them. I wish they would make the like they did in 2009-2010 again. And I hope they keep up on the base cards with the silver "chrome" borders, where in older years they would make them the same color as the regular Topps base would be. It's Topps Chrome for a reason haha

[kream88]

Thanks for the help. I can see a difference now after holding them to the light.